Welcome Home
by Itaweasel-hime
Summary: Sasuke hardly knows what to think, returning home to see his family altered to such a state. How was he to expect his brother to have plucked his kunoichi teammate? His only wish then was that he could have predicted it.


Disclaimer: If you haven't already figured it out, then I will make it clear. I don't own Naruto.

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In all honestly, he hardly knew what to say. He felt as if they had betrayed him, not thinking his opinion, or approval mattered. Apparently, it did not matter, though, and he doubted anything he said now would change what he had come home to. It was much too late now, especially considering how far along she was. This did not change the fact it hurt that he had not been warned, at the very least.

Of course, he could not say anything against it either way, because they both looked ridiculously happy together, but a strange sense of envy seemed to take over him at the sight of them, as if it was something he should have had, even if he had never really wanted it to begin with. He never really had lost anything, but somehow, it felt as if he had.

He had decided, after reaching the age of eighteen, to take a training trip with Kakashi. He had expected to reach ANBU at this point, but had not made it. While he was a respectable jonin to be sure, he was unsatisfied. Itachi had become an ANBU captain at the age of thirteen, when he had only been a genin. He admired his team, and had stayed with them through the years, but he had become impatient.

Kakashi had agreed to take him under his wings, with the permission of his parents, and had showed him all four corners of the globe, training in each new environment. Even now, though, he was still not strong enough. He could enter ANBU now, without a doubt in his mind, but for some reason, that hardly felt relevant anymore.

His team had progressed as well, as to be expected. According to Naruto, he was signed up for the next ANBU test, and had been training with Jiraiya to prepare for it.

It had felt good to walk through those walls again, to feel that fresh, Konoha air. For the first time in two years of travel, he felt absolutely home again. There was nothing but green trees and smiles to go around, and considering Naruto, they were warm enough to be contagious. His blond friend had been there at the gate entrance to greet him, but what he had not expected was for Sakura to not be present. If anything, he had predicted her to knock him upside his head for staying away for such a lengthly period.

Naruto looked sheepish, and gave him an awkward grin when he asked where their kunoichi teammate was. "If she isn't at another checkup in the hospital, then probably with your mother somewhere." He had said, looking off to the side in slight disappointment. "But enough of her, lets go get some Ichiraku!" He had offered exuberantly.

It was not difficult to decline his offer, and Sasuke had every intention to hunt Sakura down. He found it slightly disturbing, to hear what Naruto had said. Was Sakura sick? Why was she spending time with his mother, of all people? His teammate had made him suspicious, and as exhausted as he was after traveling home, he would not be able to rest until he got to the bottom of this.

Kakashi disappeared shortly, only asking one thing of him, "Congratulate your brother for me, would you?" Then he was gone, undoubtedly looking for the nearest bookstore to purchase the most recent Icha Icha. Again, Sasuke was left confused, wondering if his brother had anything to do with Sakura being missing. Maybe she had asked him to train her for entering the ANBU, with Tsunade so preoccupied being Hokage.

He walked down the familiar streets of his childhood home, ignoring most of the flamboyant greetings he got from the various girls he had _not _missed. Shisui was talking with Hana at the entrance to the Uchiha compound, and paused to welcome him home. Ruffling his hair as always, he commented.

"Sasuke-chan, when you see Sakura, tell her I'm probably going to steal Itachi tonight, and she needs to stop hogging. I haven't sparred with him in over a month."

Again, it was something about Sakura and Itachi. Perhaps he had no reason to worry though, because by the sound of it, she was just training with him. Nonetheless, if his cousin knew what was going on with his kunoichi teammate, perhaps he would cut to the chase. He felt like he was the only one left out of a big secret. So he asked, "How is Sakura _hogging _my older brother?"

At first the only response he got was the sound of Shisui and Hana laughing, as if he had just made some joke. Glaring, he waited for them to finish, and crossed his arms in annoyance. When they realized Sasuke was not laughing along with them, the laughter became uncomfortable, and was quick to fizzle out. Shisui frowned, as if remembering something of importance.

"That's right," he murmured, "Itachi-chan didn't tell you yet." Shisui was quiet, as if in thought, before a mischievous grin overtook his features. "Just don't freak out, okay? I promise Sakura didn't swallow a watermelon whole." He cackled. Hana slapped his arm for being so rude, and Sasuke shook his head. Sometimes, he wondered if he was really related to such a childish man.

Continuing onward, Sasuke marched straight home, hoping to learn something that would sort this all out. He took his sandals off at the door, the smell of food cooking wafting into the entrance area. Suddenly hungry, his stomach growled, greedily asking to be fed. Determined, he walked right into the kitchen, expecting to find his mother there, as usual.

What he found was far from that. There was Sakura, her back to him, his older brother casually slinking an arm about her hips, and teasingly nuzzling her neck with his sharp, aristocratic nose. She laughed, saying, "Be good, Itachi, or I'm not going to let you have any onigiri later."

Calm as always, his brother muttered back, "You of all people know I'm an impatient man." Much to Sasuke's horror, his brother's hand reached down to rest on her round bottom, his lips latched onto her slender neck.

He felt as if he could not breath, that if he made even the slightest shift, he would be realized. At the same time, however, he could not allow whatever _this _was to get any farther. He was much to confused to comprehend what he was seeing, but he knew he did not want to see his brother fucking Sakura in the middle of his mother's kitchen. Uncomfortably, he cleared his throat.

"What the hell is going on?"

At this, the two paused, surprised to be intruded on, and turning to see a familiar face, back home at last. They could not have been nearly as surprised as Sasuke was though, to see when Sakura faced him fully. Her abdomen was swollen with child, protruding so that a small band of skin could be seen where her tank top failed to cover. Sasuke stared at them in disbelief, wondering why he was only learning of this _now, _when she must have been pregnant for quiet some time.

She smiled though, as if nothing was wrong with this situation. They should have told him, of all people, before anyone else. His brother was ahead of him again, out of his reach. He had always been the family favorite, and had always been doing the right thing. He had made ANBU at eleven, and became a captain at thirteen, which had been unheard of at the time.

Now he was married, and had produced an heir. With Sakura. _His _teammate. There was so many reasons why this was not right. His parents had always loved Sakura too, and now she belonged to Itachi. There was only so much he could compete with, but now it was too much. Sure, he could enter ANBU now, but would that really matter? He was competing with a man that had married _and impregnated _a woman in the span of two years, despite the fact he was known as the most antisocial man in Konoha.

She walked up to him, arms open wide. He could not bare to see her like this without feeling discomfort, but he knew better than to say anything. His brother was watching them carefully, a small, soft smile on his lips. It was like nothing he had ever seen before, and he hardly knew what to do besides accept Sakura's hug.

Her stomach, full with his brother's child, made it awkward for her to wrap her slender, graceful arms about him, but she managed somehow, her belly pressed against him in silent reminder of who she was now. The loyal wife to his brother, blooming with feminine pride. She was unbelievably happy, and he felt guilty, for wanting that for himself, even if he never had before. Perhaps Sakura had never really been his to begin with, but even if he did wish she was his now, it was much too late.

Itachi was as collected as he always was, explaining how they had been together long before Sasuke had even left, but had not yet announced their attachment. They had married a year and a half ago, and she was now twenty-one weeks into her pregnancy. He wished he had been able to see this coming, but considering Itachi, he knew that was impossible.

He would simply just have to accept things as they were, wether he liked it or not.

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A/N: A very short story I cam up with, and would not leave me alone till it was finished. Hope you enjoy it! ;D


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